The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority will mobilize one of its local contractors this week to temporarily assist the Department of Public Works with either the repair or replacement of faulty or non-existent highway lights along the major thoroughfares on St. Thomas that are part of the federal highway system.

            The contractor will focus work on the highway from the Cyril E. King Airport intersection to the bottom of Raphune Hill.  The temporary repair work follows a discussion with Government House Sunday morning, and in the aftermath of a vehicular accident which claimed the life of a pedestrian on Moravian Highway Friday night.

            Executive Director Lawrence J. Kupfer said that WAPA will make the temporary repairs and/or install needed streetlights until such time as the Public Works Department can make permanent repairs or a complete replacement of highway lights, hurricane-damaged poles, and other hardware.

            On Sunday afternoon, WAPA Line Department crews also began the installation of additional street lights on WAPA wooden poles along the east-bound lane of Moravian Highway.  Additionally, a street light is slated for installation near the VITRAN bus stop on the highway’s west-bound lane. WAPA Line Department personnel will also identify all non-working street lights out towards the island’s east end and repair these lights as necessary.

            “The lack of adequate highway and street lighting on roadways and highways of the Virgin Islands remains a major concern for the public, the governor’s office, and indeed the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority. While challenges with electrical control devices, meters, and other equipment have hampered the full restoration of highway lights by the Public Works Department, WAPA is prepared to commit some temporary manpower and resources to address this growing community concern,” Kupfer said.

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The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority is an autonomous agency of the Virgin Islands Government which produces and distributes electricity and drinking water to residential and commercial customers in the territory. WAPA was created by the Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands in 1964 through Act No. 1248. Today, WAPA generates electrical power at production plants on St. Thomas and St. Croix, and distributes electrical service through smart grids to customers on St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John, Hassel Island, and Water Island. Potable water is distributed to almost 13,000 customers through water lines and standpipes. WAPA also has the responsibility of installing and maintaining street lights.

Photo cutline: WAPA crews installed additional streetlights on Moravian Highway Sunday afternoon. Four new lights were placed, and another repaired along the highway’s east-bound lanes while a new light was installed on the highway’s west-bound lane approaching the entrance to the Cyril E. King Airport. 

Photo cutline: Additional streetlights illuminate sections of St. Thomas’ Moravian Highway Sunday evening.